USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 51
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JOHN C. RARICK, a leading citizen and substantial farmer of Walnut Township, Fair- field County, O., where he owns a valuable farm of 100 acres, which lies in Section 1. Range 18, has lived on this farm for almost a half century. He was born March 1, 1836, in Thorn Township, Perry County, O., and is a son of Peter and Lydia (Weimer) Rarick.
Christian H. Sexauer's first business con- nection was with a manufacturing house, Peter Rarick was born in Pennsylvania and came to Ohio at the age of three years. His father, Peter Rarick, settled on high land in Thorn Township. Perry County, three miles east of Thornville, which town, however, at that time had not yet after which he went into the drug business with his brother, F. E. Sexauer, first at Bellaire, O., afterwards at Columbus, and then at Lancaster. O., conducting the same under the firm name of Sexauer Brothers. In the conduct of his business and in his re- been founded. In those days sugar
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making was an important industry and it was traded at Zanesville for household supplies. The boiling of the maple sap was often attended with considerable danger, as the country was then so wild that wolves came dangerously near the campers at night, a close watch having to be kept in order to drive them off. Peter Rarick, the elder, and his wife lived to be old people and both died in Thorn Township. Of their large family their son Peter was the eldest and he grew to manhood on the pioneer farm and came into possession of it when his father died. He completed a large part of the clearing and his sons finished it, and subsequently he sold the place and pur- chased the farm on which he died when aged seventy-seven years. He was twice married, first to Lydia Weimer, a daughter of Godfrey Weimer, of Pennsylvania, and secondly to Polly Humbarger, his children being of the first marriage. Five of these grew to matu- rity, namely: John C .; Simon; Elizabeth, widow of John King; Mahala, deceased, for- merly wife of Adam Koontz, also now de- ceased ; and Peter.
John C. Rarick can remember the old log schoolhouse, with its slab benches and huge fire-place, in which he learned his lessons when a boy and often contrasts it with the comfort- able structures in which his grandchildren re- ceive instruction. He grew to manhood strong and hearty from his active, out-door life and by the time he had reached marriage- able age was looked upon as one of the suc- cessful young farmers of his neighborhood. He has devoted himself to farm pursuits and has prospered and not only owns this large body of valuable land but is also a stockholder in the People's Bank at Thornville and was one of its organizers. This farm his father bought from the Gill estate and Mr. Rarick purchased it and moved here in the spring of
1863. He remodeled the house after a time and all the farm buildings now standing were built by him. Mr. Rarick has always been a stanchi Democrat and an active party worker. He has served in township offices, especially as trustee.
On December 1, 1859, Mr. Rarick was mar- ried to Miss Malissa Cupp, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Simon) Cupp, and the follow- ing children have been born to them: Ida, who is the wife of Lewis Radebaugh, of Wal- nut Township; Emma, who is the wife of Richard Neil of Thornville, and has one son, Raymond; and Clara and Clarence, twins. The former, Clara, married' Robert Noble Kochensparger and they live in Cleveland and have one daughter, Ruth. Clarence operates the home farm. In 1889 he married Bertha Boganwright and they have four children- Floe Gertrude, Bessie B., Anna M. and Lucile. Mr. Rarick and family belong to the Lutheran church and in earlier years he served in church offices.
WILLIAM FETTERS, one of the solid, reliable citizens of Pleasant Township, who is a surviving soldier of the great Civil War, re- sides on his well cultivated farm of 104 acres which he devotes to farming and stockraising. He was born November 2, 1842, in Pleasant Township, and is a son of Thomas and Sarah (Bright) Fetters.
. Thomas Fetters spent his entire life in Pleasant Township, where his father, Philip Fetters, was one of the early settlers. Thomas Fetters died in 1881. He had followed farm- ing all his active life. At times he served as township trustee and also was a director of the Fairfield County Infirmary. He married Sarah Bright, who was born in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, and they had nine children, namely: Isabel, who is the wife
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of Joshua Miller, of Greenfield Township; Margaret, who is the wife of Noah Walters, of Lanacster; Susan, who is the widow of Hery Drumm, of Greenfield Township; Wil- liam and John, both of whom live in Pleasant Township; Zachariah, who lives at Bluffton, Ind .; Leonidas, who also lives at Bluffton ; Mahala, who is deceased; and Charles, who is also a resident of Bluffton.
William Fetters attended the district schools in boyhood and then learned the prin- ciples of farming, in a practical way. On June 10, 1862, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Co. K, 185th Ohio State Guards, this company being later transferred to the 88th O. Vol. Infantry. He was a mem- -
ber of the victorious army that marched to Atlanta and the sea under General Sherman and participated in the battles of Resaca, Goldsboro, Atlanta and others and was also out in state defense when Gen. Morgan raided Ohio. Mr. Fetters re-enlisted on January 30, 1864, in Co. I, 17th O. Vol. Inf., and re- mained until he was honorably discharged on July 16, 1865, and afterward returned to Fair- field County and has resided ever since in Pleasant Township.
- On December 26, 1867, Mr. Fetters was married to Miss Mary Wygum, a daughter of George J. and Margaret (Geil) Wygum. The father of Mrs. Fetters was a soldier in the Civil War and later was a well known mer- chant at Lancaster. He died when seventy years of age. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fetters: Albert G., liv- ing at Los Angeles, Calif .; George W., in Pleasant Township: Sadie, wife of John Dauterman, living in Clear Creek Township: Ada and William S., both living at home: Pearl, wife of William Duncan, of Hocking Township: Margaret, wife of Herman Kerns, of Hocking Township; and Harley J. and
Daniel, both residing at home. Mr. Fetters is a republican in his views on public questions. He and wife are both members of the U. B. church. The family is a very highly respected one in Pleasant Township.
CAPT. ALBERT GETZ, a prominent citizen of Lancaster, a veteran of the Civil War, and a well known business man who has been identified with the retail and manufacturing shoe industry in this city for the past 28 years, is a native of Germany and was nine years old when he accom- panied his parents to America. Their death in Rochester, N. Y., left him an or- phan. He was placed under the guardian- ship of Mr. Ferdinand Getz, who later brought him to Lancaster.
The subject of our sketch, after some early schooling, entered into the boot and shoe trade under Jacob Wolfinger and Adam Hoffman, formerly well known citi- zens of Lancaster, which city has been his home ever since, with the exception of three years of his early life that he spent in military service as a member of the 114th Regiment, O. V. I. In 1881 he or- ganized the Mt. Pleasant Guards and when under his command-a period of eight years-it was regarded as the best disci- plined company in the State of Ohio.
In 1889 Capt. Getz organized the A. Getz Shoe Manufacturing Company at Lancas- ter, and subsequently, in 1895, was the or- ganizer with others of the Lancaster Shoe Factory, which was the direct offspring of the former company. He was one of the first organizers of the first Natural Gas Company at Lancaster, serving for some time as its vice president and for nine years as a trustee for the city Natural Gas Com- pany.
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Capt. Getz was married September I, and they have had four children: Minnie 1869, to Clara C. Ream of Lancaster, O., a G., wife of P. W. Thoman, of Pleasant Township; Adelia M., wife of Willis Kuff- man, of Pleasant Township; and Helen and Blanche, both residing at home. In politics Mr. Ellinger is a Democrat and he and fam- ily belong to the Lutheran church. daughter of Daniel and Catherine (Osen- baugh) Ream. To him and his wife have been born two children-Edward R. and Paul, the latter of whom died in his 20th year. Edward R. Getz married Vinzela Hardesty and they have six children-Edna L., Clarence D., Norbert G., Mary Cather- ine, Edward William and Raymond T.
ANDREW ELLINGER, who is a repre- sentative farmer and stock raiser of Pleas- ant Township, Fairfield County, O., where he owns 130 acres of well developed land, was born in Hocking County, O., Decem- ber 1, 1852, and is a son of Jacob and Helen (Ulmer) Ellinger. The parents were natives of Baden, Germany, and were early settlers and respected residents for many years of Marion Township, Hocking County.
Andrew Ellinger and his brother, John F., who lives in Walnut Township, were raised in Marion Township, Hocking County. He remained there until in his twenty-third year, when he came to Fair- field County, after which he worked for some years on different farms. He had his own way to make and his sole capital in money when he left Hocking County, was the sum of seventy-five cents, while at pres- ent, his name at the bottom of a legal paper means a great deal and illustrates what may be accomplished by persistent industry and right living. He has been a resident of Pleasant Township since the spring of 1874 and is one of the useful and respected citi- zens of this section.
Mr. Ellinger married Miss Clara Schart- cer, who was born in Pleasant Township, a daughter of the late Frederick Schartcer,
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HENRY D. SMITH, of the firm of Smith Bros., general merchants at New Salem, O., has been a resident of Fairfield County all his life. He was born in Walnut Township, May 4, 1867, and is a son of Leonidas G. and Honora C. (Berry) Smith.
Leonidas G. Smith was born at Browns- ville, O., and was left an orphan when young. He grew to manhood in Fairfield County and became a man of substance and importance in Walnut Township, engaging in farming and also for twenty-five years served as a justice of the peace at New Salem, where he died April 25, 1906, when aged sixty-nine years. His widow survives and resides in Walnut Township, in which section she was born. Her father, Henry Berry, was one of the old pioneers here. Five children were born to Leonidas G. Smith and wife, namely: Henry D .; D. Linden; Ottobine, who died in infancy ; Mary, who is the wife of G. R. Wiseman ; and Curtis Ray.
Henry D. Smith spent his boyhood on the home farm and obtained his education in the district schools but merchandising rather than farming appealed to him and he secured a position as soon as he was able, with a general merchant at New Salem. In 1897 in partnership with D. Lin- den Smith, his brother, he bought the gen- eral store of G. A. Albrecht and still later that of B. C. Ortman at New Salem. The Smith Bros. moved to their present fine
GEORGE J. GEARHART
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location in the Ortman Building, in 1908, and for a number of years was a member of the board of education in that city.
where they do a large business, carrying a complete line of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes. D. L. Smith of this firm suc- ceeded B. C. Ortman as postmaster at New Salem and the postoffice is located in the store.
In August, 1898, Henry D. Smith was married to Miss Olive A. Baker, who is a daughter of Dr. H. C. Baker, an old and trusted medical practioner at New Salem for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one daughter, Mildred Baker. Mr. Smith
belongs Methodist Protestant church; his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically he is a Dem- ocrat and at one time was his party's candi- date for the office of county treasurer. He belongs to the Maccabees and attends lodge at New Salem.
GEORGE J. GEARHART, auditor of Fairfield County, O., has been a prominent factor in Democratic circles in this part of the state and for a number of years was identified with several of the leading jour- nals of Lancaster, in an editorial capacity. He was born at Stoutsville, Fairfield County, O., January 12, 1877, and is a son of William S. and Isabel (Stout) Gearhart.
The Gearhart family has been known in Ohio for many years, its founder here hav- ing been the grandfather of George J. Gear- hart, who bears his ancestor's name. Orig- inally the Gearharts came from Germany and many of them may yet be found in Pennsylvania, from which state George Gearhart came to Ohio in early manhood. walking the entire distance. Locating at Circleville, in Pickaway County, he there spent the larger part of his subsequent life. He became a man of affairs and substance
William S. Gearhart, son of George, was born at Circleville in May, 1852, being the youngest of a large family, as follows : Jerome and Frank, both of whom are veter- ans of the Civil War and reside in Soldiers' homes; John, who was second lieutenant of his company at the time of his death from an exploding shell, in South Carolina, during the Civil War, and died just before his commission as first lieutenant reached lim: Samuel, who is a resident of Colum- bus, O .; William S., father of the subject of this sketch; Lucretia, who resides at South Bloomfield, Pickaway County, and is the widow of Daniel Bock, who died in Novem- ber, 1911: Mary, who is the wife of W. A. Bowsher, in Indianapolis, Ind .: Kate, who is the wife of E. E. Bock, of Columbus : Nannie, who is the wife of William H. Snively, of Dayton, Ohio; and Ella, who is the wife of A. K. Reed, of Lancaster, O. William S. Gearhart still resides at Stouts- ville and is connected with the rural mail service.
On the maternal side, the ancestors of George J. Gearhart came also from Ger- many and through Pennsylvania to Ohio. The grandfather, Jonathan Stout, was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1800, and mar- ried Nancy Christy. Of their nine children who reached maturity, Isabel, the mother of our subject, was the youngest. The others were Amos, who is a retired resi- dent of Lancaster : Israel, who occupies the old homestead one mile north of Stouts- ville : Reuben, who is a resident of Indiana ; Jonathan, now deceased, who is survived by one son, John W., who is car inspector for the Pennsylvania Railroad at Lancas- ter: Rachel, deceased, who was the wife of
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George S. Baker, who twice represented Fairfield County in the state legislature (and the mother of County Treasurer C. V. Baker) ; Catherine, who was the wife of Jacob Ernst, the latter a resident of Stouts- ville; Margaret, who was the wife of Ira Neff, and died at her home in Indiana; and Malinda, who is the wife of George W. Neff, of Paulding County, O.
To William S. and Isabel (Stout) Gear- hart the children born were as follows: George J., whose name appears at the head of this article; Nannie, who resides at home; Kirby, a horticulturist residing at Stoutsville, who married Addie Courtright ; Rollo, who died when aged eighteen months; and William S., who lives with his parents.
George J. Gearhart attended the Stouts- ville schools until he had attained the age of eighteen years and then began to teach school, afterward, as he had opportunity, attending local normal schools. During the period of seven years in which he was engaged in educational work he taught in different parts of Fairfield and Pickaway counties, during the two last years being a preceptor in the grammar department at Stoutsville. He retired from this field of effort in December, 1902.
In the meanwhile, in addition to his edu- cational work, he had been correspondent for a number of the leading newspapers. He was a frequent contributor to the Cin- cinnati Enquirer, the Columbus journals, the Circleville Democrat and Watchman, and the Eagle and Fairfield County Demo- crat, of Lancaster. In the closing days of 1902 he came to Lancaster to accept the position of managing editor of the Fairfield County Democrat, to which he devoted
four and a half years of earnest work. In July, 1907, he resigned in order to become city editor of the Lancaster Daily Gazette. In August, 1908, his services were partially recognized by his party and he was elected to the position of clerk of the county elec- tion board, and in August, 1909, he was re- elected to this position. As he entered more actively into politics his editorial duties became a drag on his activities and he resigned his position on the Gazette, on November 1, 1909. In the May primary of Ig10 he was nominated for county auditor and in the succeeding November was elected to this important office, the duties of which he assumed October 16, 1911. His intimate acquaintance with public men and public affairs in the county through his newspaper connections, have qualified him for almost any public office, while the high personal esteem in which he is held assures him of the support of the best element of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Gearhart was married November 20, 1909, to Miss Pearl Shallenberger, a daugh- ter of Theodore Shallenberger, who was a commissioner of Fairfield County for six years. The mother of Mrs. Gearhart was Cornelia (Bechtel) Shallenberger, a mem- ber of one of the substantial old German- American families of this section. Her death took place April 23, 1910. Mr. Gear- hart is a member of the German Reformed church. He belongs to the order of Elks, in which he holds office and is also identi- fied with the Royal Arcanum.
Ever since its organization, Mr. Gear- hart has been president of the Gearhart fam- ily association which holds annual reunions in Franklin Park in Columbus each Fourth of July.
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La Moatt
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GEORGE W. TAYLOR, of Millersport, O., resides on his farm of 140 acres, which lies on the Millersport and Thornville road, situated in Section 27, Walnut Township, Fairfield County, and in association with his wife owns a number of building lots at Sandy Beach, on Buckeye Lake. Mr. Tay- lor has been a resident of Fairfield County since 1893. He was born in Licking County, O., near Newark, at the old Tay- lor canal locks, April 24, 1861, and is a son of James and Lydia (Bowlby) Taylor.
James Taylor was born in Licking County, a son of William Taylor, who was a native of Virginia and came to Ohio when the canal was in course of construction and built nine miles of this waterway. He died at Taylor Locks. He was the father of six children, James Taylor being the eldest born. The others were as follows: Ellen, now deceased, who was the wife of Wil- liam Lynn; John and Thomas, both of whom are deceased; Emma, deceased, who was the wife of Jackson Davis ; and Alonzo.
James Taylor spent his youth on the home farm and attended the country schools when he could be spared, but in his boyhood farming and raising stock involved harder labor than at present. There were no transportation lines that could carry stock to the distant markets and the only way to reach the Baltimore market was to drive the stock over the mountains and de- liver them to buyers there. These trips GEORGE MATT, president of the Lan- caster Gas Light and Coke Company, also of the Lancaster Electric Light Company. is identified also with many other leading business enterprises of Lancaster, O., and has been one of the leading factors in the development of the fire insurance interests here for a quarter of a century. Mr. Matt James Taylor frequently made, traveling on foot and attending to the business in a way that was entirely satisfactory to his father. He died in September, 1880, at the age of sixty-one years. He married Lydia Bowlby, who was born in 1823, in New Jersey, and died in February, 1892. They had seven children, as follows: Eliza A., was born November 6, 1842, at Ravens-
who is the wife of O. N. Penny, and resides in Missouri; John, who died young; Ella, who is the wife of Thomas Clunies, of Heb- ron, O .; Sarah Jemima, who is the wife of William Larmore, of Kirkersville, O .; Elizabethi, who is the wife of T. M. Rugg, of Newark, O .; Samuel W., who lives at Luray, O .; and George Wallace, of Wal- nut Township, Fairfield County.
George Wallace Taylor was reared on the old Taylor farm until fifteen years of age, attending the country schools and later the schools at Kirkersville. Farming and stock-raising have been his main occu- pations for many years. After the death of his father-in-law, his wife inherited a part of the Murphy farm, her grandfather, Wil- liam Murphy, having entered the land from the Government, and as her inheritance included the comfortable farm-house, the family came to Walnut Township in 1893.
Mr. Taylor was married December 25, 1884, to Miss Emma Murphy, a daughter of William and Mary Murphy, the former of whom was born on the present farm and spent his life here. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor: Robert S., who assists his father on the farm, and married Carrie Auer : and Ella May, Mary Jane and Frances Irene. Politically Mr. Taylor is a Democrat. He belongs to the Masonic lodge at Millersport.
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burg, in the Kingdom of Würtemburg, South Germany, his parents being John and Maria (Leser) Matt, and he is a grand- son on the maternal side of Joseph and Anna Leser, old and respected residents for years of the town of Ravensburg.
In the fall of 1854 the parents of Mr. Matt emigrated to America, settling soon after their arrival at Lancaster, O. Of for- mal schooling, especially in the English language, Mr. Matt had little and what he had acquired in his own tongue was not extensive, but Nature had endowed him with a quick and retentive mind and he soon became so closely associated with practical business men that mere book learning became the least of his necessities. Mr. Matt early developed considerable business talent and has since been closely associated with many of the enterprises that have contributed to the advancement of Lancaster. He was one of the first busi- ness men of the city to enter into fire in- surance to any great extent and was also one of the first to see and avail himself of the benefits accruing from building and loan associations; he early recognized the city's need of adequate public utilities, and at one time invested in an artificial gas plant, which only failed of being successful on account of the discovery of natural gas, and in numberless other ways he has fos- tered industries and enterprises more likely to be beneficial to the general public than especially so to himself. In almost all of those lie lias been associated with other practical business men and capitalists and often became connected with them because his co-operation was sought. While a Democrat in his political views, Mr. Matt is a broad-gauged man and on public ques- tions generally is very liberal-minded. At
different times he has served in public offices. He is treasurer of the Board of Trade and has rendered efficient service on other official boards.
Mr. Matt was married on April 6, 1863, to Miss Helena Hite, of Lancaster, and their six children reflect credit on their par- entage and rearing. They are as follows : Frank, who married Miss Grace Whitley, and has a daughter, Catherine; George L., who married a lady from Mt. Carmel, III. ; Edward, who married Lula McFee; Harry, who married Lillie Owen and has three children-Marion, Helen Marlow and George B .; John, of whom we have no spe- cial record; and Helen, who became the wife of Charles Trimble and has three chil- dren-Richard, Harriett Marie and Isabel. Mr. Matt and family are members of St. Mary's Catholic church, and he is officially connected with its various benevolent or- ganizations. He is widely recognized as one of Lancaster's substantial and reliable citizens.
JOSEPH D. SHUMAN, who died Octo- ber 20, 1911, was the proprietor of a fine farm of 135 acres lying in Pleasant Town- ship, and was well known all through this section as a successful dealer and broker in cattle. He was born in York County, Pa., September 22, 1851, and was a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Dietz) Shuman, both of whom were natives of Chester County, Pa., and of German ancestry. In 1869 they came to Fairfield County and settled in Pleasant Township and passed the remain- der of their lives here.
Joseph D. Shuman in early manhood learned the trade of cabinet-maker and after coming to Fairfield County in 1870, found employment as a house and barn
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builder and worked as such for five years. He then embarked in the butchering busi- ness, in Pleasant Township and was thus associated with his father for eight years, under the firm name of Joseph Shuman & Son, besides carrying on the farm. For the last twenty-five years of his life he was largely interested in dealing in cattle. He was a Republican in politics and was the only member of his party elected in 1900, when he served as land appraiser. He was prominent in agricultural affairs in the county and for two years was president of the Fairfield County Agricultural Society. He also served for six years on the town- ship school board.
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